They started out as a group of fourteen orphans, more boys than girls, with a mix of different races. Their numbers had dwindled down to seven over the course of fifteen long, harsh years, with each year being harder than the last. Yet they’d survived the winter and spring had finally arrived, meaning it was time for Fievel to go. With literal catlike tread he climbed up to the roof of the abandoned clock tower he and his siblings called home and awaited sunrise. His boots hung over the clock’s ruined face as he leaned back on his clawed hands and released a deep breath. They’ll be okay, he told himself over and over again. His nerves made his grey cat ears twitch regardless. They’ll be okay.
Fievel’s yellow eyes reflected back the full moon’s light. Of the fourteen children, he’d been the only catfolk. He hadn’t always been the oldest. He’d had an older sister, Pony, a goblin. But she was reckless, as her kind is apt to be, and gotten herself killed. Even a decade later her death still hung over Fievel. As did the ghosts of the other six siblings he’d been unable to save. Most of them had died to starvation or illness. And it was Fievel’s fault. He was the oldest. He was supposed to get his family the food and medicine they needed.
This obligation was why he was setting off at the crack of dawn.
And why he was terrified to leave.
None of the others were as good in a fight as he was. If they got into trouble and he wasn’t there…
“Up here trying to convince yourself to stay?” a sad but pretty voice chuckled beneath him. Fievel leaned over and spotted his brother, Bailey, climbing up to meet him. Bailey was too pretty to be completely human. His pale blonde hair stuck up at random angles, and sacrificing a few meals here and there so the others could eat instead had left his face gaunt. Yet when he put on the charm, his skin seemed to almost glow, and when he spoke his voice took on a dreamy hum. Bailey was the best beggar of the group, the de facto diplomat, and Fievel’s number two.
“Yo, Bailey.” Fievel scooted to the side to make room for him.
“Figured if you weren’t up here then you were already gone,” Bailey said.
“Not yet,” Fievel said. “Just thinkin’.”
“You’re still not gonna say goodbye?” Bailey asked, his pale blue eyes scanning the surrounding city. “You know that’s gonna kill Seras.”
“She’ll survive,” Fievel grunted. “They all will. Saying goodbye’ll just make it harder for everybody. It’s better if they just wake up with you in charge.”
“Until you get back,” Bailey added, his tone hard. Despite being the diplomat, he wasn’t a slouch in a fight and could get dangerous if he wanted to. He’d never managed to beat Fievel but that didn’t matter. Fievel trusted his little brother unconditionally with his life and those of their family. If he didn’t then leaving wouldn’t have even been an option.
“You need to be hard,” Fievel said. “Especially with Lotso and Liam. Those orcish idiots are starting to forget about Pony. Taking stupid risks. They won’t listen to words, even yours. They talk back, you hit one of them. Hard. That’ll usually straighten out the other one out too. At least for a while.” Bailey nodded. “And Seras is still a little sick, so hold off on putting her on corner duty until it gets warmer,” Fievel went on. His cat lips curled up saying his baby sister’s name. The only gnome, she was a tiny thing. He’d miss her most. “I snuck an apple under her creepy doll. Make sure she gets to eat all of it. She’ll offer to share but knowing Lotso and Liam they’ll just end up taking it from her.”
Bailey nodded again. “What about Mamie?” he asked, his tone careful. Though they couldn’t be sure, based on their looks (same pale skin, blonde hair, blue eyes), she and Bailey were at least related, if not actual biological siblings. “She says she’s willing to take one for the team.”
“No,” Fievel snarled, His eyes became glowing slits. “No sister of ours is a whore. If she does stupid stuff ‘cause of love or crap like that, that’s one thing. But-”
Bailey raised his hands. “Got it. I’ll keep an eye on her.” He sighed. “And that just leaves Flint.”
Fievel released an identical sigh. Flint was a sweet, gentle guy who just so happened to be seven-feet tall. He had a big heart and a stomach to match. Usually Flint followed Fievel around whenever other gangs tried to push into their turf, but that was just for show. The half-giant didn’t have the temperament of a fighter, and he was too intimidating looking to be a beggar. But he still had to eat. “Keep up his training,” Fievel said. “Guy’s got it in him to be a beast. You bring that out, and there’s nobody who’ll be able to hurt the family.” Fievel shrugged. “Pair him up with Mamie. He’ll keep assholes out of her pants and maybe she’ll finally wise up to the big lug being head over heels for her.”
Bailey snorted. “Yeah,” he said. “Hopefully.”
They sat in silence for a while after that. Two brothers simply enjoying each other’s company for what could, potentially, be the last time.
Finally Fievel said, as the first rays of sunrise began to peek across the horizon, “You’ve got this, Bailey.” He got to his feet and his tail stretched out behind him. “Soon enough it’ll be like you were the one in charge the whole time. Hell, you’ll probably do it better than I ever could.”
“And I’ll be all too happy to rub it in your face when you get back,” Bailey said with a sad smile. He held out his fist. Fievel bumped it with his own. “So just leave already so you can come back rich quicker.”
“Aye, aye, captain.” Fievel took in one last deep breath atop the clock tower, his home. By the time the sun broke through the horizon he was already well on his way, leaping across rooftops with catlike tread.
#
It took him most of a month before he finally reached port. The air was salty, the vendors were rude and loud, and Fievel nearly got into a skirmish or to within the first hour of arriving. All this brought a sly smile to his lips. It was early morning, meaning he’d attract too much attention by sticking to the rooftops. So he slinked through the alleyways, ducking out only to snatch a piece of fruit or a low hanging fish from an oblivious vendor. He munched contently on his latest steal, a fat sunfish, as he maneuvered closer to port, towards the ships.
Now or never, he thought, his heart quickening with nervousness and excitement. He needed to get on one of those ships. If not this whole trip was for naught. He tapped the toes of his boots against the ground as he walked, readying to kick them into high gear if need be. But which one?
As he was wondering this, he heard a sinister cackle from around the corner. Curiosity getting the better of him, Fievel slinked on over, just to see. Three large men, all big, all ugly, and all grinning ear to ear, were standing around a small girl. She was slinking back against the alley wall, clutching at the red coral necklace she wore around her thin neck. Now Seras was adorable, but this girl was giving Fievel’s sister a run for her (sadly metaphorical) money. Her giant eyes were different colors, one amber and the other violet, and her long hair was a beautiful midnight blue. She was dressed in a buttercup yellow coat with a matching top hat that was almost too big for her head. Her mismatched eyes darted back and forth, looking for a way to get past these three thugs.
One of the thugs leaned in, making her flinch, “Now we wouldn’t be in this mess, sweetheart, if you hadn’t gone and hurt my feelings by calling me an asshole,” he said. He was still smiling but his tone was dangerous.
“B-but I didn’t!” the girl squeaked. “P-please! I don’t want any trouble-”
“Then why’d you have to go and break his heart by calling him names,” one of the other thugs chimed in.
“Yeah, yeah,” the first thug said. “Now, if you really feel bad about it, then don’t you think you should compensate me, huh?”
“C-compensate?” the girl asked. Fievel didn’t blame her. He was beyond surprised that the thug actually knew what “compensate” meant. “Please, m-mister, I don’t want to hurt you-”
That made all three thugs burst out laughing. The combined sound of their laughter made the girl shrink in on herself, eyes brimming with tears. She began whispering something to herself but Fievel couldn’t make it out through these idiots’ cackling.
The smart move would have been to just turn and get back to his own life. Yet Fievel hated bullies, especially those who got off on beating up those younger than them. Another factor was his homesickness, mostly missing Seras’ hugs and kisses. All this drove him to slink back and look around. He spotted a nearby window. He jumped, caught hold of the ledge, and climbed up. He then jumped again and pulled himself up onto the roof directly. The sun was high, making Fievel’s shadow splay out before him. He made sure it didn’t give him away as he hunkered across the rooftop, waiting and watching…
The first thug’s hand shot out and grabbed the girl’s hat off her head.
“Let’s start with this,” he laughed and then frowned down at the ground. A lone clam had fallen out of the hat. “What the hell’s this? Lunch?”
The girl quickly squatted down and snatched the clam back, holding it to her breast.
The third thug who’d mostly kept to giggling until now spoke up, “Check it out. Maybe it’s got a pearl or something inside.”
“No!” the girl cried.
Grinning, the first thug lunged for her and the clam.
Only for a furry shadow to fall in between him and uppercut him across the chin. The thug’s eyes rolled up into his head as he landed flat on his back.
The hat went flying out of his hand. Fievel quickly plucked it out of the air and forced it back down on the girl’s head. Then, while the two other thugs stared on in shock and bewilderment, Fievel grabbed her hand.
“RUN!”
Now on a normal day, Fievel wouldn’t have been averse to sticking around and teaching the two thugs a lesson, no matter how big they were. Knocking skulls together and dishing out black eyes was good exercise in the morning. Yet there was still the chance that the girl in yellow could get hurt, which would have defeated the point of Fievel intervening. So he yanked her forward, past the thugs, and out alleyway. She was heavier than she looked, and stumbled a few times as they ran, but when Fievel glanced back he saw that they’d managed to lose the trio of idiots.
They continued to run a ways more. The docks were actually in view by the time they slowed down. Fievel released the girl’s hand and leaned over, panting. It was a few more minutes of them catching their breath before Fievel finally looked sideways at her, said, “Hey. Hi. I’m, uh, Fievel.”
She didn’t respond right away. She reached up and readjusted her hair under her hat, shoving the clam back inside it as she did so. She then wiped sweat off her brow. “…Thank you.” She stepped away and began making her way across the docks.
Fievel frowned and followed after the girl, keeping a gap in between them so as to not spook her. “…So you got a name?” he asked.
“Yes,” she said, not looking back at him.
“Mind telling me what it is?” Fievel asked.
She hesitated but then shook her head.
“Thank you, Mr. Fievel, but please stop following me.”
“Oh, I’m not following you,” Fievel said, glancing around. Grungy, sunburnt men were running off and onto the nearby ships. The nearest was a pearl white construct with pale blue flags. “Just thinking about hitching a ride. What about you? You definitely aren’t from around here, otherwise those idiots wouldn’t have seen you as easy pickings. You looking to set sail, too, Miss…?”
The girl sighed. Maybe it was Fievel’s imagination but he would’ve sworn he saw the hat twitch on its own. “Abalone,” she finally said.
“Abalone,” Fievel said, tasting the name in his mouth. “Abalone…Abby? You look more like an Abby to me.” She didn’t reply. “And what’s your pet clam’s name?”
Abalone stopped walking. She slowly turned and fixed Fievel with her mismatched eyes. “Mr. Fievel, please leave me alone. I really do appreciate your help, but you need to get away from me. It’s for your protection.” Unconsciously, she placed a hand over her coral pendant. “Bad things happen around me. Really bad things.”
“Uh-huh,” Fievel said skeptically. He gestured to himself. “Do I look like someone who’s been strutting through paradise lately? I’ve handled more than my fair share of bad since I crawled out of dad’s box.” He showed her his hands. “But hey, if you want me gone I’m as good as gone, Abby. Wish you and your clam the best.”
He walked around her and started scanning the ships more closely. He didn’t have a lot of coin on him, meaning bribing his way on board was a longshot. But if one of the crews could use an extra pair of hands…
“Your father kept you in a box?”
This time it was Abalone who was following him.
Smiling inside, Fievel slowed down so as to let her catch up. “Yeah. Me and my brothers and sisters. We were all babies.”
“Were you all poor?” Abalone asked.
“Not sure if he was,” Fievel answered bitterly. “He managed to buy all of us after all. But then one day he just left. Didn’t look back even once.” His hands balled into fists. “What I wouldn’t give to ring that bastard’s thick neck…”
“Is that why you’re seeking passage?” Abalone asked, staring up at Fievel from beneath the brim of her hat. “You’re trying to find him?”
“Nah,” Fievel laughed. “Bastard can rot in the lowest levels of hell for all I care. I’m just trying to make money. Money to send back to my family.” He then added in a sad, soft breath, “Those who are still alive anyway.”
Abalone bit her lower lip, clearly deep in thought.
“What about you?” Fievel asked. “You got any family?”
“No,” she answered. “…I mean…I don’t know.”
“Ah. Make’s perfect sense.” Fievel scratched his chin. “So what do think? Any of these ships catch your eye?” No reply.
Fievel turned and saw Abalone wandering over to the edge of the docks, staring off into the ocean. The sea air made her hair flutter. She breathed it in deeply, eyes fluttering closed.
“Abby?”
“Oy!” a voice called from down the docks. Fievel turned.
A young, tan boy was hurrying towards her. His arms were covered in crudely drawn tattoos and his nose looked like it’d been smashed in once or twice. And he was twitchy. His fingers constantly curling and uncurling, as if he was trying to grab something that wasn’t there. Fievel distrusted him immediately.
“Oy, miss!”
Fievel immediately bounded forward, placing himself between Abalone and the approaching man, claws at the ready. The man slowed to a halt, his slanted eyes sizing the cat boy up.
“Thought cats didn’t like the water?” he said, his voice reedy.
“Goes to show how much you know,” Fievel said dryly. He gently reached out and touched Abalone’s shoulder. She started and turned, surprised. “You okay?” Fievel asked her.
She nodded hurriedly, looking from him to the man. “Who’s this?”
“Don’t know,” Fievel confessed.
“Name’s Callaway,” the man said. He reached into the back pocket of his patchy trousers and produced a leaflet. He held it out towards Abalone and Fievel but neither moved to take it. “Captain sent me out to find customers seeking passage.” He pointed at Abalone. “Judging by how you were reacting, I bet you’re just itching to get out onto the open sea, huh, miss?”
“How much?” Fievel asked before she could answer.
Callaway shot him annoyed look. “Ten silver, mate.”
Fievel grimaced as much as his cat face would allow. By his standards that was steep. Not unreasonable, but he needed to try and haggle this guy down.
“Where is the ship sailing to?” Abalone asked hesitantly, seemingly unperturbed by the cost.
“Droon,” Callaway answered.
Abalone and Fievel exchanged looks.
“Is that where you’re headed?” she asked him.
“Honestly I’m not too picky at the moment,” he confessed.
She nodded and then reached into her coat, producing a small bag. The intoxicating sound of coins shaking filled the air as she shifted through it. She then reached over and gestured for Fievel to hold out his hands. Confused and in mild disbelief, Fievel did so. She pressed fifteen silver pieces into his hands and then quickly tucked the bag back into her coat.
“Think of it as payment for…aiding me,” Abalone explained to a stunned Fievel. She shrugged. “And if it helps you feed your family than it’s a good investment, I think. And there should be enough extra for you to get a proper meal or two.” She smiled apologetically. “You look like you kind of really need it, Mr. Fievel.”
Fievel wanted to hug and kiss her. Instead he turned to Callaway and declared, “Guess I’ll take you up on that offer.” He then draped a hand across Abalone’s shoulders. “We both will. A bodyguard can’t go anywhere without his charge, eh?”
Callaway’s left eye twitched but he put on a yellowed grin and gestured for them to follow after him. “Come on then, come on. The Pearl Heart’ll be setting sail within the hour. Best you meet Captain Blueford before then.”
After carefully plucking Fievel’s arm off her shoulders, Abalone and the cat boy followed after the sailor, towards the white ship with blue sails emblazoned with silver stallions.
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